This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in shock absorption devices which absorb recoil shock forces acting on a camera mounted to a shooting device and, in particular, to a device for absorbing shock when a camera is mounted to an archery bow.
When an arrow is shot from a bow, the bow experiences a normal recoil force which moves the bow in the hands of a user. As a result, a picture taken by a camera mounted to the bow will be degraded by the motion of the bow unless the camera is isolated from these recoil forces.
Apparatus for mounting a camera rigidly to a bow are known. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,159 to Ryan.
An improvement of a mounting device having shock absorption capability is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,725 to Broderick. Here, a camera is encased in a padded case which is mounted to the bow. The padded case is used to absorb the recoil so that jarring or impact will not damage the camera. A secondary feature is that some of the recoil is absorbed so that better pictures may be taken.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,062,114 to Palos illustrates another method for isolating camera motion when a camera is mounted to a shooting device, here a rifle. The Palos patent describes a mounting where a coil spring is mounted in the direction of recoil to absorb the recoil.
A need exists for a shock absorption device which will absorb shock not only in the direction of recoil but in other directions as well.